


Genderbend

by iloveitblue



Series: Prompts [22]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-22
Updated: 2014-09-29
Packaged: 2018-01-26 03:32:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1673126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveitblue/pseuds/iloveitblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where they're both girls.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raiining](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raiining/gifts).



It’s not a crush.

She just  likes competent people okay? Competent and responsible. She respected those kinds of people seeing as how her childhood lacked them. So clearly, it’s not a crush. Respect and adoration. That’s what you should call her feelings toward Coulson. 

"Right." Natasha told her, head propped up by delicate hands on the table. Claire rolled her eyes at Natasha and took a bite out of the goopy mess they called lunch at the cafeteria. Natasha continued to stare at her as she chewed her food. "I can’t believe you eat that without being tortured first." 

Claire shrugged. “It’s actually good once you get past the bitter chunky parts and if, you know, add more salt, cook it again-” Claire hit the tentacle that moved under the goop with her spoon. “and make sure everything is dead.” She hit it a few more times for good measure. before pushing the tray away from her. “You know what? you’re right.”

Natasha hummed. “I always am. about Coulson or about the food?” 

Claire gave her an unimpressed look. “about the food.”

"What about the food?" Jasper asked from behind them. 

"It isn’t edible." Claire said. looking pointedly at the still trying to escape tentacle. Jasper made a disgusted face at the food before remembering he wasn’t there to just talk.

"Right. Barton, Coulson wants to see you in her office. Says it’s important." He nods to both of them and leaves.

Natasha smirked at her “Go get her, tiger. Tell me how it goes. I want full details.” She got off her chair and walked away. 

"There’s nothing to tell Tasha!" She yelled at her. Natasha just gave her a small wave.

—-

Claire knocked three times before she pushed the door open. “Ma’am? You wanted to see me?”

Coulson didn’t look up from her work “Take a seat, agent Barton.”

Claire flopped down on the couch rather than the seat in front of Phyl’s desk. Phyl didn’t seem to mind, seeing as how Claire kept insisting that she was able to focus more when seated on the couch which didn’t at all make sense since Claire was usually in very uncomfortable positions during missions for hours on end. 

Coulson stacked the papers she was working on in a neat pile. She opened a folder and took out a single sheet of paper, then he turned to Claire. “How are you feeling agent Barton?” 

Claire’s brows furrowed. “Fine… ma’am.”

"Are you sure?"

"Uh… I guess? If you don’t mind me asking, what is this about?"

"You handed in your sitrep on time."

Claire grinned. “And that merits a visit to your office?”

"No. You can visit anytime you want. You’re always welcome here."

And Claire, well, she didn’t know what to say to that. She’d never been welcome anywhere. Not even in Natasha’s bunk. So consider it a complete understatement when she says “Thank you, ma’am. I appreciate it.” 

Coulson nodded, “The reason you’re here actually is because I wanted to ask you why your sitrep missed a few crucial details.”

Claire blinked. As far as she was aware, she didn’t leave anything out from her last report. Sure it was the same bullshit she writes - _There were bad guys, I shot them with the awesomeness of a ~~hundred~~  thousand ninjas, the bad guys are now either dead or in custody. Oh, and agent Romanoff kicked ass too. - _but same bullshit, nonetheless.

"Pardon?" She asked. 

"Your hand, it was hit according to agent Romanoff" Natasha the tattler is what Claire should call her. "and a few other agents noticed a rather deep mark on your arm. According to records, you didn’t check in for medical." Coulson’s perfect eyebrows were now scrunched together deep in thought it seems. 

"I’m fine boss. It looked worse than it was. Trust me, I know."

Coulson stood up and sat next to her on the couch. Ever so poised and demure - the badass hiding beneath all of it. Coulson smelled like coffee, and her hair, a hint of apples. Claire wondered what shampoo she used because none of the shampoos she’s smelled or used was ever this lovely.

Coulson held out his hand and Claire stared at it until she realized that Coulson was waiting for her to show her the injured hand. It wasn’t easy, but she hid the injury well. With fingerless gloves, the gash and bandages were kept hidden from everybody who didn’t know.

Claire placed her hand on top of Coulson’s awaiting one, and  _how the hell does she keep her hands soft when she was almost always holding a gun or writing?_  Coulson scowled at it for a moment before she carefully removed the glove to see a carefully bandaged hand (with an old cloth), complete with blood stains. 

Coulson let go of her hand and stood up, walking to a far cabinet and pulling out what looked like a first aid kit. She returned to the couch and started pulling out gauze and creams and bandages (actual bandages this time) She laid out a triangular bandage on top of her legs and held out her hand again, waiting for Claire. Claire reached out again, and Coulson placed the hand gently on top of her legs. Claire looked up because the ceiling was a very interesting piece of architecture all of a sudden.

She felt the cold metal against her skin when Coulson started to cut the bandage. She took out some cotton, cleaned the wound, dressed it and bandaged it back up, all neat and Coulson-like.

As Coulson was cleaning up, she sighed. “Please don’t do this again, Claire.” She looked at Claire with such sad eyes that Claire actually felt ashamed for trying to hide the injury. “I don’t want anything to happen to my assets.” Claire’s heart felt heavier. Assets. right. “I don’t want anything happening to  _you._  Contrary to popular belief, I do have a heart. And everytime-” She shook her head. “I do care about you Claire, more than you think.” Coulson finished tidying up and moved back to her desk. “If you don’t want to go to Medical, at least go to me, At least let me dress your injuries for you.”

Claire nodded.

"Dismissed, Agent Barton." Claire slowly got up and moved to the door. She kept a low profile until she reached her bunk. She stared at her bandaged hand and replayed the entire scene again.

_I do care about you Claire, more than you think._

Claire felt her face heat up and she slid down the door. She buried her face in her hands and tried not to think about Coulson. Tried to think about anything but Coulson.

She failed.

So instead, she took out her phone and fired a text to Natasha.

_It’s not a crush._

Natasha’s reply came just as fast.

_Tell me everything._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Nick talks Coulson into asking Barton out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This chapter can be found on tumblr here](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/87207781091/i-watched-high-school-musical-a-while-ago-so-now)

When she was young, Phyl thought she was weird. She was the only one who wasn’t fawning over boys and didn’t care about mundane things girls her age cared about. She didn’t care though. She wasn’t going to conform to society, society just needed to know that she’s different, and that didn’t mean it was a bad thing.

When the law passed allowing women to join the Army, Phyl didn’t pass up her chance. She enlisted. 4 tours, 2 rescue ops and 15 awarding ceremonies later, she retired along with her longest friend Nicholas Fury.

They joined SHIELD shortly after, with Nick soaring to the top of the ladder and Phyl beside him. Some rumors have started around the agency about Phyl using her body to stay close to the director, but most of their friends knew it was bullshit. They knew that Phyl was gay but it was only Fury who knew who she was gay for. 

"Are you going to ask her, or am I going to have to do it for you?" Nick whispered to her as soon as Barton was dismissed.

Phyl rolled her eyes at her friend. “Try and you’ll wake up without a dick.”

Nick scowled. “A lady shouldn’t be talking like that.”

"You say that every time."

"That’s because you cuss like a sailor. Cussing is a terrible habit, Cheese."

"Hypocrite"

"Stubborn" Fury followed her with his stare as she gathered up the things from the meeting. "Do you really not know?"

"Probably. I don’t know what we’re talking about if that’s what you’re asking."

Fury sighed. “Why  _don’t_  you ask her? You’ve been pining over her since you got her to work here. You ain’t getting younger, Phyl”

"Didn’t anybody ever teach you that talking about a woman’s age is rude?" She put her hands on her hips, and when Fury leaned back against his chair, she just shook his head. "I _don’t_  because she’s my asset.”

"So? SHIELD has no fraternization policies."

"Be that as it may,  _if_  we do get together, I don’t want to deal with whatever fallout may happen.”

Fury rested his elbows on the table. “Okay, you’ve told me your excuse. What’s the  _real_ reason?”

 Phyl sighed as she placed the folder she held back down. “Why do I put up with you?”

"You’re secretly in love with me."

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that’s probably it.” She grinned at him, and he smiled at her. “She’s going to say no.” Phyl said, looking down at the folders.

Fury scoffed. “You truly are an idiot.”

"Thank you, Nick. I really needed that." Phyl said, making sure that the sarcasm in her voice was clear. 

"No, really. you are. I’m telling you this, as a friend. Ask her out. I can guarantee she will not say no."

Phyl narrowed her eyes at the man and then it was her turn to scoff. “Okay, fine. But how do I know she’s not just doing it because I’m her boss?”

"Just trust me on this. Promise me you’ll ask her." Fury said as he stood up to leave. "And I expect a sit rep on this by Friday."

"What?"

"You heard me." he said as he walked out the door, leaving Phyl to her job.

"Nick, I am  _not_ handing you a sit rep of how my asking her out went!” She called out.

"Friday, Coulson!" He called back.

—-

Fury stared at the piece of paper sitting at his desk Friday morning. He read over it and chuckled to himself. Coulson never was one to disappoint.

> _Form 0432-A (Situation Report)_
> 
> _Agent: Phyllis J. Coulson_
> 
> _Subject: Requesting Agent Barton’s company over dinner_
> 
> _Specifics:_
> 
> _Agent Barton was asked to report to my office at Thursday afternoon at 1500H. Agent Barton arrived an hour early, and opted to sit at the couch looking ridiculously adorable. With the way her hair had flowers braided into it the logical conclusion would be that she lost a bet with Agent Romanoff. I asked her what her plans for the night was, and she shrugged saying that, and I quote; “probably hang out at my place, watch some dog cops, order a pizza”. So I asked her if she would agree to the idea of getting dinner together. Like a date. Her eyes had widened and her cheeks looked brighter._
> 
> _She nodded an affirmative._
> 
> _Additional Comments:_
> 
> _I hate you. but Thank you, Nick._
> 
> _P.S. If you file this, I swear I will cut off your dick._

Fury signed the bottom of the page that requested his signature and closed the folder holding it. 

Phyl was so lucky to have him as a friend


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For WitchWarren

Nick Fury was a crazy man. No, scratch that. Nick Fury is a crazy man. 

If he thought that Phyl was going to write a sit rep on how asking out Claire went, then he’s got another thing coming. 

Still, try as she might, Phyl has this thing about following deadlines. She can’t explain it really, but when she’s given a deadline, she has to deliver. And Fury, that bastard, knew that. Probably why he gave her until Friday to finish the report.

Phyl looked at the clock. Almost 1400H, that left her with a little over an hour until Claire came through those doors and ask her what’s up. That’s good. Phyl could do an hour. an hour alone was a nice thing to have if you want to berate yourself over something. Or she could use that hour to think of a way to properly word what she was going to say to Claire. 

After all, she didn’t want to seem like a babbling idiot when she was trying to ask the archer out.

Her thoughts were cut short when there was a rap on her door. It swung a tiny bit open and Claire poked her head in. “Hiya boss.” She greeted her with a grin.

"Agen- Claire. What are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting you until an hour later." Claire entered and shrugged before she proceeded to sit as comfortably as she can on the couch.

"Didn’t have much to do. I was gonna hit the range after this, but before then I had nothing lined up. Figured might as well hang here ‘til you tell me what’s up." 

"Uh huh." Well. So much for having an hour to herself. “And the flowers on your hair is because…?” Phyl couldn’t exactly be expected to just ignore those right?

Claire picked at one of the flowers and stared at it. “Natasha.” He explained with a single word. Phyl nodded in understanding.

"So…" Claire prolonged the word so that it seemed like it was a sentence all on its own. "What’s up?"

Well, it was now or never it seems.

"What are you doing tonight?"

Claire hummed then she shrugged. “Go home? Order pizza and watch bad television, I guess.”

"Bad television?" Phyl mimicked.

"Hey. Don’t knock Dog Cops ‘til you try it. It’s surprisingly entertaining."

"How can you associate ‘bad television’ and ‘entertaining’ into one thought?" Phyl asked, utterly amused.

"It’s just good okay." Claire defended. 

Phyl chuckled then her face fell a little. Now or never, indeed. “Guess you’re busy then?”

"What part of me ordering a pizza for myself and watching TV sounded like I’m busy to you?" Claire sassed. "Why? Do you have a mission for me sir?"

"No. But I’m glad to see your enthusiasm with work." Okay, Phyl has to stop procrastinating this. 

"Yep. That’s me. Miss Enthusiasm and Employee of the month." Claire rolled her eyes at her.

"That has got to be the worst joke you’ve ever told me." Phyl said with the driest voice she could muster. Claire laughed. There was a moment where her laugh was the only sound that Phyl heard. She never wanted to stop hearing it. "I asked because I was wondering if you’d want to go on a date with me tonight." Phyl finally said. 

Claire stared at her for a second or two before her eyes grew wide and her cheeks tinted pink. It was adorable. Phyl wanted to take a picture but she was pretty sure that that would ruin the moment. Instead, she waited. 

For once, Agent Barton was speechless. 

A soft smile graced her face and she bit her lip and gave Phyl a small nod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/98726695236/i-think-i-broke-my-body-clock-permanently-part)

**Author's Note:**

> [Can be found here on tumblr](http://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/86488118416/i-wasnt-sure-if-you-wanted-them-both-genderbent)


End file.
